


Brazen

by pakunoduh



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Gen, i still dont know how to tag surprise, mercenary lucio is a messy bitch, shes just another mercenary and isnt really a developed character of mine, theres a random other character that i guess kinda counts as an OC but eh, though i do like her so we'll see
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-23
Updated: 2018-02-23
Packaged: 2019-03-22 20:04:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,158
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13771530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pakunoduh/pseuds/pakunoduh
Summary: Lucio's never been subtle, not even when taking a life





	Brazen

Lucio flicks the ichor off his blade with a back swing through the air, his chest heaving in the firelight that blazes behind him. He looks down at the body at his feet with a sneer, bringing his sword back down to the corpse. He wipes the rest of their dirty blood on the threadbare cloak down dyed red with gore, their pockets emptied seconds before he pushes them face down in the mud with his boot. The killing stab through their back still oozes, layers of tissue and skin exposed from where the stab turns into a slice through their torso, the wound ending with a gape just under their ribs. **  
**

He watches the skin sag apart to reveal more innards before a sudden crash sounds behind him. A confused noise and the mercenary turns, eyes widening at the flames that have overtaken the whole dwelling behind him. Bits of charred wood tumble from the building’s remnants and he takes a step back as the heat starts to touch his skin. He hadn’t realized the house would burn so quickly.

_“Lucio!”_

His name is barked to his left, jarring his focus towards a standing figure leagues away.

“ _Stop fucking around and hurry up!”_

“Oh, shaddup!” Lucio calls back playfully. His gaze flicks back to the corpse with a sneer and he sets off towards the other mercenary. “I’m done anyway.” He sheaths his sword as he walks, the crunch of his boots over stone barely audible over the blazing fire.

“You shouldn’t toy with people like that.” the woman’s thick accent reaches him over the roaring flames and  she shakes her head at his approach. The tight bun on her head appears loosened by the events of the evening, though the scowl it always pulls on her face is firmly in place.

“You look like shit.” his chin nods up to the trails of blood spilling from her temple, a contact scrape trickling into her light eyebrows.

Her thin lips curl, revealing jagged teeth, a few gaps visible from bar fights and contracts of old. “If you were doing your fucking job instead of dicking around we wouldn’t be in this mess.”

“Piss off, I didn’t do anything wrong.”

A large piece of the second story buckles and gives beneath them, the air quaking with the sound of the tavern caving in beneath the flames. The woman lowers her eyebrows at him, blacks eyes darting to the wreckage and back to his face. “That wasn’t part of our job.”

“They’ll get over it.” Lucio shrugs, his pauldron clattering on his shoulder. It makes quite a scene, his figure walking away from the burning building he helped set ablaze. Or so he imagines, a wide smirk on his face.   
  


“Could you not look so happy about this?” A lock of grey hair falls from her bun, the scar through her lip pulling at another convenience.

“But we did a good job, Devin!” A manic smile is lobbed in her direction and Lucio takes joy in the deepening wrinkles on her forehead. He closes the distance between them before she can reply and throws an arm over her shoulder, the tough leather armor she swears jabbing into his bicep. “The master is dead, the building’s on fire, and our stuffy client is able to trade free of competition! Why wouldn’t I be happy?”

“We weren’t meant to burn down the house, you idiot.” Devin shrugs off his touch, widening the space between them. “That house was stacked in riches, kid.”

“You mean these riches?” Lucio scrambles through his pockets before pulling out a handful of jewels and holding them out to the other. Ropes of pearls and rubies sit in his palm, metallic rings and brooches blinking in the firelight.

Devin catches herself from rushing him, eyes wide before flicking back to his smug grin, “How much did you grab?”

“Depends.” He shrugs and stuff his spoils back in his pouch, tilting his head with a smile. “Are you gonna rat on me?”

The older woman straightens and regards him, her weight shifting from her left to right foot. Her strong arms cross in front of her barrel chest, the stiff leather wheezing as her gauntlets slid across each other. She takes in his widening grin and the flick of an eyebrow at her staring, the cockiness of youth oozing from his every pore.

“Half and I won’t kill you where you stand.” Devin finally answers, head tilted in his direction, her expression impatient.

“Do you think you could?”

There’s that cockiness again.

In a fluid motion, Devin is on him, her left hand snaking the sword from his belt and the other in a vice grip on his groin. “I could certainly take these jewels with me if you try that shit again.” she threatens, teeth bared and snapping.

A dreamy breath leaves Lucio’s lips, his eyes rolling towards the sky. He loosely raises his arms above his head, the tension leaving his body. “You always say the sweetest things.”

Devin releases him, taking the man’s sword with him as she steps away. The blade flourishes in the air to settle at his throat, the tip tickling his Adam’s apple. “Now, Lucio.” she growls.

Lucio lolls his neck and sighs, hands falling to his sides. “First you’re gonna grab my balls, then stick my own sword in my throat. You’re really sending mixed signal, Devin.”

A razor thin line appears on the mercenary’s throat, red beading to the surface.

“Stop fucking around, Lucio.”

“Let’s get away from the fire, at least.” His hand raises to his neck, fingering the scratch left across his skin. He spies the blood on his fingertips and wipes it on the side of his pants, adding to the dried blood already spattering the worn leather. “You were the one who wanted to get out of here before the guards arrive.”

The sword at his throat falters.

“Fine.” Devin lowers the weapon with a glare. “But I’m keeping the sword.”

“You could have another one if you like?” Lucio leers, hand gesturing to his pelvis which he so tastefully arcs in her direction.

The blade whips out towards the man, point sharp and ready, before Devin turns in at the last moment and slaps the blunt of it against his crotch. Its edges still slice into the leather of his inner thigh, blood nearly drawn with the gesture but she withdraws it before any actual damage is to be had.

“I swear to god, Lucio, if you don’t shut up, I will kill you.” Devin spits before stalking away, the sounds of panic starting to swell as the populace becomes aware of what has occured. “I better get something for this.”

“I’ll buy you a drink.” Lucio chuckles and wanders his way after her, both slinking into the shadows just as the guards stumble across the dying embers and corpses left in their path.

 

**Author's Note:**

> i like mercenary lucio cause he's messier lmao
> 
> any comment or critique is appreciated !! thanks for reading ! 
> 
> Find me @ mvriel/countcryptid.tumblr.com !!!


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